Black Panther Star Danai Gurira To Return as Okoye In Marvel Disney+ Spin-off

The MCU's new expansion into storytelling on Disney+ is already turning into a widely popular venture for fans and critics alike, expanding on important Marvel characters who haven't been seen as A-listers yet.

From Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany to Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, Disney's streaming service is succeeding early at giving the MCU more depth than ever.

Ten more shows are confirmed to arrive in the next two years, and there is more confirmed to be coming without a release date as well. One of these is Ryan Coogler's untitled Wakanda series, which will continue the legacy of the Black Panther movies and fill in the blanks in the fictional African nation.

In light of this series' arrival, as well as the anticipated release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, news has come regarding an exciting return for an MCU regular.

OKOYE BACK FOR MORE

The Hollywood Reporter shared that Danai Gurira will be reprising her role of Okoye in multiple future MCU projects. She is confirmed to return in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and she will also be featured as Okoye in an unspecified "origin spinoff series" premiering on Disney+.

It's unclear if this spinoff is the previously reported Kingdom of Wakanda series or a different project.

This deal came to light thanks to Gurira's lawyer, Jamie Mandelbaum, who was highlighted in the piece for bringing the deal together for the MCU star.

DANAI GURIRA CONTINUING IN PHASE 4

Danai Gurira already has three MCU movies on her resume in Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War from 2018, along with playing a limited role in 2019's Avengers: Endgame. It seems only right that the Dora Milaje's leader will be sticking around to fight more battles in Phase 4 and beyond.

The most exciting part about this release is that she will be taking her talents to the Disney+ streaming world, although the details are currently murky.

While Ryan Coogler is confirmed to be developing a Wakanda series, the report didn't specifically mention that project as the one for which Gurira is confirmed. This could potentially indicate another Black Panther-based series on the way, which wouldn't be a surprise considering Black Panther is the highest-grossing non-Avengers movie in the MCU.

Regardless of those details, Gurira's return adds yet another exciting personality to the MCU's future. Her Okoye will likely play a key role in leading Wakanda and Marvel through Chadwick Boseman's tragic passing, and she should have plenty of exciting plot paths ahead of her.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will debut in theaters on July 8, 2022. There is no confirmed production timeframe or release date for the Wakanda Disney+ series.